asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science (1) how many high grade scientists left the United Kingdom during the years 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, and 1964 to the latest convenient date;(2) how many high grade scientists left the United Kingdom between 1945 and 1951.

The Royal Society has estimated that permanent emigration of holders of Ph.D.s and university staffs numbered, in 1960, 184 and, in 1961, 198. Incomplete figures for 1962 were 144. No similar information is available for qualified scientists other than these, nor are figures available for the years 1963, 1964, or for the period 1945–51.

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science whether the recent work of the Road Research Laboratory on flexible pavements, loading of pavements, control of manufacture and laying of bituminous road materials and similar matters has taken into account the limitations which are now to be imposed on the use of vehicles and rollers for maintaining footpaths as set out in Statutory Instrument, 1963, No. 2126, dated 19th December, 1963; and whether this will be made clear at the exhibition of work to be displayed by the Road Research Laboratory in April.

No. The Statutory Instrument to which the hon. Gentleman refers is concerned with footways. The recent work to which the hon. Gentleman refers relates to the construction of the main carriageway or road structure. Unfortunately in highway engineering the latter, and in common parlance the former, are referred to as "pavements".

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science whether he will invite a group of personnel from the Medical Research Council to spend a year devising programmes in medical education appropriate to branching teaching machines.

The Committee on the use of Audio-Visual Aids in Higher Education includes medical education in its scope and it would be premature to decide on a specialised research project of the kind suggested until we have their report.

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science what are the reasons for the wide variation in failure rates of students in faculties of applied science between institutions of higher education.

This is a matter which is susceptible of extended discussion beyond the limits of reply to a Question, but I would refer the hon. Member to paragraphs 575–584 of the Report of the Committee on Higher Education (Cmnd. 2154) and to paragraphs 82–83 of the recently published University Grants Committee Report (Cmnd 2267).

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science if he will make a comparison between the average A-level performance of university entrants in faculties of pure and applied science.

I understand that analyses of the "A" level qualifications obtained in the General Certificate of Education examinations by the applicants to the Universities Central Council on Admissions who were admitted to universities last October will be included in the Report of the Council, which is expected to be published shortly after Easter.

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science if he will request the University Grants Committee to seek from the universities the reasons for the high failure rates in applied science.

I would refer the hon. Member to paragraphs 82 and 83 of the recent University Grants Committee Report "University Development 1957–1962" (Cmnd. 2267), in which the Committee has drawn attention to a number of reasons which have been advanced to explain the comparatively high failure rates in applied sciences as compared with other university faculties in this country.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what quantities of books and magazines have been seized by Customs and Excise during the last 12 months.

During 1963, Customs seizures amounted to 235,837 books and 197,131 magazines.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is taking to ensure that the expenditure of all Government Departments is kept within the Estimates published in Command Paper No. 2235.

The figures in the White Paper, which cover more than the expenditure of Government Departments, are an approximate calculation of the prospective level of public expenditure in 1967–68 on the basis of the Government's present policies and programmes. They do not represent a Government decision about the level of expenditure in that year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state for the latest convenient year the amount of aid provided from public funds for developing countries; what proportion this is of the gross national product; and how this compares with the record of other major industrial countries.

In 1962–63 aid to developing countries from British public funds was £148 million. This represented rather more than one half of one per cent. of the Gross National Product. Exact comparisons with other donor countries are not really practic- able. These figures omit the substantial flow of funds to developing countries in the form of British private investment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a further statement on progress made towards the establishment of a national incomes policy; and to what extent this policy covers all types of income including dividends and profits.

I cannot usefully add to the replies which were given to the hon. Gentleman and to the hon. Members for Bolton, West (Mr. Holt), Huddersfield, West (Mr. Wade) and Orpington (Mr. Lubbock) on 14th January and to my hon. Friend the Member for Louth (Sir C. Osborne) on 11th February. We have made it clear on numerous occasions that profits and dividends must come within the scope of any incomes policy which is to be effective and generally acceptable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the Government's desire to expand overseas service by young volunteers, he will make provision for child allowance to be available against the tax liability of the parents of these volunteers for the period of their overseas service.

Child allowance may be claimed for a child over 16 who during the Income Tax year concerned is receiving full-time instruction at school or university, provided that the child's own income does not exceed the prescribed limit of £115 a year. Children who undertake voluntary service overseas for the year between leaving school and going to university will often satisfy these conditions both for the Income Tax year in which they leave and for the year in which they return to the United Kingdom. I doubt whether we should be justified in extending the allowance to cases which do not satisfy the existing provisions of the law.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that two of the largest companies in the United Kingdom have increased their dividends by approximately 11 per cent. and 14 per cent, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Farnworth; and whether he will revise the terms of reference of the National Incomes Commission, so that the subject of increased dividends may be referred to it by Her Majesty's Government.

No. Unlike wage rates, which tend to rise steadily and more or less uniformly within an industry, profits and dividends vary considerably from firm to firm and from year to year. This diversity is essential in the interests of economic growth and greater efficiency. The National Incomes Commission is already required by its terms of reference to report from time to time on the need if any for action to be taken to implement the Government's pledge to restrain undue growth in aggregate profits following restraint in earned incomes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what inquiries he has made concerning the potential use of branching teaching machines for training Treasury personnel.

In giving general guidance to Civil Service training the Treasury Training and Education Division encourages departments to investigate the usefulness of programmed learning (whether by teaching machines or other devices) for the training of their staff, and includes this topic in some of its central courses for departmental instructors. The Division has been in regular consultation with the Ministry of Education, and also the Admiralty and Royal Air Force who have undertaken considerable investigations.In conjunction with Enfield College of Technology, it has arranged two courses for staff from sixteen departments (including the Treasury) for training in programme writing for teaching machines. Several departments have acquired machines and are experimenting with them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made towards ensuring that the income, at present untaxed, from certain toll bridges, which are privately owned, shall be taxed.

This change would require legislation in a Finance Bill and, as the hon. Member knows, I cannot make a statement at the present time.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when coast preventive men are to be equipped with light vans instead of motor-cycles.

The Customs have already started trials to establish the relative merits of light cars and motor-cycles for use on patrols by coast preventive men. I will let the hon. Member know the results as soon as these trials have been completed, which is expected to be about the beginning of next year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now abolish the Purchase Tax on all band instruments manufactured in this country.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the, Exchequer why a decision on the question of a duty-free airport at Prestwick has been so delayed; and when he now proposes to make a statement on the subject.

On 4th March, the Ayr County Council informed the Customs of the outcome of their consideration of the very full consultations, last year, between them and the Government Departments concerned; a statement will be made as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps are being taken in the schools in Fiji to encourage the use of the English language.

English is taught as a second language from the first year in school and is usually the medium of instruction from the fifth year. Regular vacation refresher and coaching courses in the teaching of English have been organised, specially prepared teaching aids have been distributed, and broadcast lessons concentrate on the teaching of English. Several teachers have attended British Council courses in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when work will start on a survey of the natural resources of Fiji.

The report of the Burns Commission of 1959 provided a thorough basic survey of the natural resources of Fiji. This has since been supplemented by soil and other surveys and by studies of the potential for development in all areas. The Development Plan for 1964–68 was drawn up on the basis of this work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the future of Pitcairn Island.

No change in the arrangements for the administration of Pitcairn is contemplated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what discussions are to take place with representatives of the Basutoland Legislative Council following its endorsement of a pilot constitution leading to the independence of the territory.

I shall be holding a conference beginning on 20th April in London to discuss the question of constitutional advance for Basutoland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the prolonged constitutional discussions, whether the date given for Malta's independence is to be postponed.

I have recently had talks with the Prime Minister of Malta and other Maltese political leaders. As soon as these consultations are completed I will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will approach the Government of St. Helena, including the dependencies of Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha, and ask whether they wish the enlarged Admiralty jurisdiction conferred upon the High Court of the United Kingdom by the Administration of Justice Act, 1956, and the terms of the Merchant Shipping (Liability of Shipowners and Others) Act, 1958, to be conferred, respectively, upon St. Helena, including the dependencies of Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha, by orders in council.

I am consulting the Governor of St. Helena and will write to the hon. and learned Member as soon as I receive his reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many qualified doctors and nurses there are in St. Helena.

There are two doctors and seven nurses.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made in the preservation, collecting and recording of historical and Government documents relating to the earlier history of Aden.

The Aden Legislature has voted funds to enable these archives to be properly housed, but the actual work has not yet begun. The local authorities do not consider it wise to proceed with the process of recording and treatment until the new storage space becomes available, as many of the older papers are in a delicate condition. In the meantime the papers are being kept where necessary in protective boxes.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what official discussions are taking place with the Government of Tanganyika regarding the withdrawal of British forces from that territory, in view of the proposal made by foreign ministers from African States, meeting at Dar-es-Salaam, that an African force should maintain security whilst Tanganyikan troops are reorganised and trained.

President Nyrere has agreed to my proposal that the British troops in Tanganyika should be withdrawn before the end of this month.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he has received the report of the working party set up to examine research and information services in the construction industries; and whether he will make a statement.

Yes. In September last year representatives from the building industry, including the associated professions, accepted in principle a proposal I had made that a research and information association, financed jointly by the industry and the Government, should be established. They agreed to set up a Working Party, under the Chairmanship of Mr. D. Woodbine Parish, C.B.E., "To examine the need for improved research and information services; the scope of any Association to achieve improvements; the constitution of such an Association; and the arrangements for financing it". The Working Party reported in December and in agreement with the industry's representatives, its Report has been published. Copies are now available in the Vote Office and will be on sale to the public tomorrow.The Working Party unanimously accepted the need for more research and better information services, and recommended that funds for this purpose should be raised mainly by a com- pulsory levy upon the building and civil engineering industries. I intend now to pursue with these industries the possibility of establishing, under the Industrial Organisation and Development Act, 1947, a development council to raise and administer such a levy.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation how many members of his staff are engaged in research into the needs of the developing countries of the Commonwealth; in which territories they are working; and who pays their salaries.

132 are paid direct from the Votes of my Department. These are employed as follows:

United Kingdom	…	…	107
Nigeria	…	…	10
India	…	…	6
Pakistan	…	…	2
Malaya	…	…	2
Uganda	…	…	1
Gambia	…	…	1
Arabia	…	…	1
Kenya	…	…	1
Australia	…	…	1

My Department also contributes £1·8 million annually to bodies engaged in such research in the United Kingdom and abroad

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation if he will publish a table showing the amounts of loans and grants from the United Kingdom since his Department was established to each developing Commonwealth territory in respect of primary education, secondary education, technical education, the training of teachers, and universities, respectively.

The figures are not readily available, but I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether, in view of his decisions concerning the proposals put forward by the Local Government Commission for Wales, he will now delay progress on any reviews currently being undertaken by the English Commission, on any recommendations put to him concerning England and on any draft orders now awaiting consideration by Parliament, since large parts of rural England equally with Wales are mountainous in character, sparsely populated or ill provided with means of easy communication.

No. I cannot agree that these conditions prevail generally in England, as they certainly do in Wales, and I am satisfied that the present reviews of local government reorganisation in England should go ahead with all possible speed.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what is the average time which elapses between the application of a local authority for planning permission and his decision; and if he will expedite decisions when they relate to areas of acute housing shortage.

Planning applications by local authorities are normally decided by the local planning authority. Where they do come before my right hon. Friend he deals with them as quickly as possible. The time taken may vary between three weeks for a straightforward proposal and several months for a contentious one where a public inquiry is necessary and there are large numbers of objections.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will introduce legislation to protect leaseholders who are being asked one thousand times their annual ground rent for the freehold of their property, details of which have been sent to him.

The value of the freehold reversion cannot be related to any particular multiple of the annual ground rent, especially where the unexpired term of the lease is only a few years. Whether the price asked is reasonable is a matter on which a leaseholder would be wise to seek professional advice.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what was the price paid per acre, for land for house building by the county boroughs of Swansea, Cardiff, Newport, and Merthyr Tydfil in the years 1952, 1956, 1960 and 1963.

The information sought could not be obtained without much work and would be of little value. The price paid for housing land depends so much on the location and nature of the land that it is unrealistic to rely on average prices in county boroughs for purchases in particular years.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial assistance he is giving towards the Tay Road Bridge.

The Government are to lend the Tay Road Bridge Joint Board up to £1·5 million towards the cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average percentage rise or fall in the remuneration of the average general practitioner and dentist, respectively, for the period from 1951 to date.

The average net income from public sources of general medical practitioners in Great Britain rose by 40 per cent. between the year ended 31st March, 1951, and the present; a comparable figure relating to the net income of general dental practitioners is not available, but over the same period the increase in their average gross earnings from the National Health Service was of the same order.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reply he has received to his request to the manufacturers of drinamyl to market the product as a tablet of different shape and colour.

I understand that the manufacturers are consulting the British Medical Association before taking a final decision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in HANSARD comparative figures showing the frequency of escapes from

Type of prison			Population on 1st January, 1963	Number received	Total turnover	Number of escapes	Percentage of turnover
Open	…	…	3,224	11,000	14,224	200	1·4
Secure:
Local	…	…	16,003	70,000	60,000	25	0·04
Others	…	…	5,590	10,863	16,453	34	0·20

Open prisons and secure prisons other than local prisons receive their population by transfer from the secure local prisons, and in estimating the number of prisoners at risk in secure local prisons, the number of prisoners transferred to other prisons has been deducted from the estimated number of all receptions.Untried prisoners received into the secure local prisons during the year are not included in the total of 70,000 convicted and civil prisoners referred to above.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the communication he has sent to the police about the prosecution of escaped prisoners for offences they have committed in order to further their escapes.

I have sent no such communication. The prosecution of such offences is entirely a matter for chief officers of police, with which I have nothing to do.

The population of prisons on 1st January, 1963, was 24,817. During 1963 the number of receptions of convicted and civil prisoners was about 70,000. Among these would be included some individuals who were received more than once during the year. The total number of prisoners who represented an escape risk during the year connot therefore be calculated precisely but is estimated to have been about 90,000.The numbers of escapes from different types of prison during 1963 was as follows:

asked the Prime Minister, following his official discussions with the President of the United States of America, what assessment he has made of the extent to which the situation in South Vietnam is delaying the holding of an international conference to guarantee the neutrality of Cambodia.

The hon. Member is premature in supposing that there has been any delay. The earliest date so far suggested for a conference on Cambodia is April, which was put forward by Soviet Government. Meanwhile, there is a good prospect of direct negotiations between Vietnam and Cambodia.

asked the Prime Minister what official discussions he had during his visit to the North-East, on Government plans to assist south-east Northumberland in the light of the need to give some security for school leavers.

asked the Prime Minister what official discussions he had, during his visit to the North-East, about the steps which Her Majesty's Government intend taking to implement the policy of full employment.

I went to the North-East recently to fulfil an engagement to make a speech. This gave me the opportunity to visit some local industries; the discussions I had were informal rather than official.

asked the Prime Minister when he received a copy of a resolution concerning the unemployment situation in Dunbarton and the Vale of Leven passed by a meeting in Dumbarton Town Hall on Wednesday 19th February; and what reply has been sent.

I received the letter to which the hon. Member refers on 21st February. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development also received a copy of this resolution and has sent a reply.

asked the Prime Minister whether the public statements made by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in an authorised interview in the March issue of the publication Farm and Country on farm incomes respresent the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

Yes

asked the Prime Minister if he will visit Prestwick Airport during his coming visit to Ayrshire.

I shall fly into Prestwick Airport on 24th March.

asked the Prime Minister what correspondence he has received from Ayrshire local authorities on Prestwick Airport; and what reply he has made.

I have received letters from local authorities in Ayrshire supporting resolutions passed at a meeting in Prestwick Town Hall. I will arrange for replies to be sent shortly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what particular experiments he authorised the Agricutural Marketing Development Executive Committee to make a grant of £100,000 to the Potato Marketing Board.

Investigations and experiments in potato storage, both in bulk and in separate lots, and in the handling, grading and packaging of potatoes; trial sales of specially packed or prepared potatoes in retail, wholesale and industrial markets; and research into different types of consumer demand in different markets by means of test samples.The experiments as a whole are designed to find out which are the right potatoes for each market and to find the best use for all potatoes.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he is aware that paragraph 58 of the First Report of the Council on Prices, Productivity and Incomes pointed out that farmers' incomes had hardly risen since 1952; whether the relative lag in agricultural incomes has continued since this Report was published; and whether he will take action in the forthcoming price review to see that any imbalance is remedied.

My right hon. Friend is aware of the Council's observations on the gross income of farmers and of other categories of self-employed persons during the period 1952 to 1956. Compared with either 1938 or 1948 the gross income of farmers in 1956 had however risen more than the gross income of other self-employed persons. Moreover, between 1956, the last year mentioned by the Council, and 1962, the gross income of farmers rose by 23 per cent. and of all other self-employed persons by 24 per cent. The economic position of the agricultural industry is being fully examined in the current Farm Price Review but I cannot anticipate the outcome.

asked the Minister of Aviation what decision he has taken on the recommendation of the Estimates Committee that support be provided to manufacturers of light aircraft in order to take advantage of the potential exports for British light aircraft.

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave the hon. Member for Belfast, East (Mr. McMasters) on this subject on 29th January.

asked the Minister of Health if he will take steps to ensure that all drugs obtained by prescription have the instructions on the labels either typed or written in capital letters.

It is the responsibility of a pharmacist or doctor to ensure that such instructions are legible and understandable.

asked the Minister of Transport what research is at present being undertaken into life-

ENGINEERING
Average of recognised time rates and normal weekly hours in 16 principal centres in the United Kingdom
Date	Weekly rates in monetary terms						Normal weekly hours	Weekly rates expressed as percentage of level at July, 1914=100
	Patternmakers		Fitters and Turners		Labourers			Patternmakers	Fitters and Turners	Labourers
	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.		per cent.	per cent.	per cent.
July, 1914	42	1	38	11	22	10	53 or 54	100	100	100
31st December, 1932	63	4	59	1	42	1	47	150	152	184
31st December, 1938	72	3	67	3	50	4	47	172	173	220
31st December, 1948	126	7	108	2	92	4	44	301	278	404
5th March., 1964	235	4	212	8	180	9	42	559	546	792

NOTE: Rates for tool fitters are not available.

Research by the manufacturers of life-rafts is a continuous process and my Department keeps in close touch with all developments. Exensive tests of stability were arranged by my Department in 1962. At present research is being undertaken into operation at low temperatures, durability of new fabrics and location by radar.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the devaluation of craftsmen's wages; and if he will, for purposes of comparison, publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a tabular statement showing the relative rates of weekly wages for adult male workers, the hours worked and the level of wages expressed as percentage rates for 1914, 1932, 1938, 1948, and on the latest convenient date, respectively, for patternmakers, tool fitters, general workers, railway service, dock labour, road passenger transport, London Transport, journalists, and steel workers.

I am aware that there have been many changes in relative wage rates in past years, including those for the crafts referred to by the hon. Member. The following table contains the information in respect of weekly wages and normal weekly hours for the occupations listed with the exception of steel workers for whom comparable figures are not available:

asked the Minister of Labour how many boys secured apprenticeships in Wales during the years 1952, 1956, 1960 and 1963; and what percentage these totals represented of school-leavers in 1952, 1956, 1960, and 1963.

The figures are as follows:

			No.	Percentage
1952	…	…	3,082	22·0
1956	…	…	2,864	22·4
1960	…	…	3,421	23·8
1963	…	…	4,061	24·6

asked the Minister of Labour how many males and females, respectively, have been registered as unemployed at the Kirkcaldy Employment Exchange for periods of more than three, six, nine and 12 months, respectively, at the latest available date.

The following table contains an analysis by duration of the number wholly unemployed for over 13 weeks or more at Kirkcaldy Employment Exchange and the associated Youth Employment Office on 13th January, the latest date for which such an analysis is available.

	Numbers unemployed
Duration of unemployment	Males	Females
Over 13 weeks and up to and including 26 weeks	141	102
Over 26 weeks and up to and including 39 weeks	61	61
Over 39 weeks and up to and including 52 weeks	40	40
Over 52 weeks	187	109

asked the Minister of Health in which hospitals with children's beds there are still restrictions on daytime visiting by parents; and why such restrictions are imposed in each case.

About two hundred and forty hospitals out of over 900 which admit children impose some restrictions on visiting. The reasons given include the difficulty of visiting on operating days, during teaching rounds, or while children are in school: limited accommodation: various medical considerations applying to special classes of case: interruption of hospital routine. The reasonableness of the restrictions is in each case being studied by hospital boards and myself.

asked the Minister of Health if he will set out in tabular form the number of new and substantially remodelled hospitals constructed since 1946 and the number of beds provided in each case; the number constructed per 1,000 population, the number of beds in such hospitals provided per 1,000 population, and the number of new hospitals proposed in the next 10 years in the following areas, namely, London, Wales, Manchester Salford, Sheffield, and Stoke-on-Trent, respectively; if he will state the number of such hospitals constructed since 1946 within a 30 mile radius of London, Manchester, and Cardiff, respectively; and if he will also state the number of new and substantially remodelled hospitals constructed since 1946 and the number of beds provided in each case in Wales, Lancashire, and North Staffordshire, respectively.

Following is the information:

NEW AND SUBSTANTIALLY REMODELLED HOSPITALS CONSTRUCTED SINCE 1946
		Completed	Partly completed and in use	New beds so far provided
England and Wales	…	6	28	3,812
Wales	…	1	4	710
Lancashire	…	—	1	220
North Staffordshire	…	—	—	—
Within 30 miles of London	…	3	8	—
Within 30 miles of Manchester	…	—	—	—
Within 30 miles of Cardiff	…	1	1	—
Cardiff Maternity Hospital	…	—	—	111
Llanfrechfa Grange Hospital, Cwmbran (part)	…	—	—	480
Singleton Park Hospital, Swansea (part)*	…	—	—	—
West Wales General Hospital, Carmarthen (part)	…	—	—	192
Bridgend General Hospital (part)	…	—	—	27
Greaves Hall Hospital, near Southport (part)	…	—	—	220
Charles Clifford Dental Hospital, Sheffield	…	—	—	—
New Teaching Hospital, Sheffield (part)*	…	—	—	—
City General Hospital, Sheffield (part)*	…	—	—	—
Children's Hospital, Sheffield (part)*	…	—	—	—
Balderton Hospital, near Newark (part)	…	—	—	378
Poole General Hospital (part)	…	—	—	180
Aston Hall Hospital, Derbyshire (part)	…	—	—	260
Doncaster Royal Infirmary (part)*	…	—	—	—
West Cumberland Hospital, Hensingham (part)	…	—	—	100
Ashington Hospital, Northumberland (part)	…	—	—	87
Prudhoe and Monkton Hospital, Northumberland	…	—	—	680
Newcastle General Hospital (part)	…	—	—	152
New Teaching Hospital, Cambridge (part)	…	—	—	94
Princess Margaret Hospital, Swindon (part)	…	—	—	39
Radcliffe Infirmary (Oxford) (part)	…	—	—	83
Good Hope Hospital, Sutton Coldfield (part)	…	—	—	81
Luton and Dunstable Hospital (part)	…	—	—	93
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Welwyn	…	—	—	315
University College—Dental Hospital	…	—	—	—
Halliwick Hospital, New Southgate	…	—	—	135
Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton, Surrey (part)	…	—	—	85
Crawley Hospital, Sussex (part)	…	—	—	36
Harlow Hospital, Essex (part)*	…	—	—	—
Kingston Hospital, Surrey (part)*	…	—	—	—
Whittington Hospital, Highgate (part)	…	—	—	30
National Heart Hospital, London, W.1 (part)	…	—	—	34
Heatherwood Hospital, Ascot (part)*	…	—	—	—
Lewisham Hospital, S.E.13 (part)*	…	—	—	—
* The development at these hospitals so far provides new facilities other than beds, e.g. out-patient and accident departments.

			Number of new and substantially remodelled hospitals per 1,000 population	New beds so far provided per 1,000 population
London	…	…	·001	·02
Wales	…	…	·002	·27
Manchester	…	…	—	—
Salford	…	…	—	—
Sheffield	…	…	·08	—
Stoke-on-Trent	…	…	—	—
For information on building in the next 10 years, I would refer the hon. Member to Command 1604 and to "A Hospital Plan for England and Wales (Revision to 1972–73)."

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many old-age pensioners living in Wales applied for assistance to the National Assistance Board in each calendar year since 1951; and what percentages these yearly totals represent of the retirement pensioners in Wales.

The following table shows, for December of each year since 1951, the numbers of retirement pensioners in Wales who were receiving supplementary grants from the National Assistance Board, and the estimated percentage of retirement pensioner households with such grants.